First Glance: Alabama
It was a tough one Saturday night, but in the Southeastern Conference, there’s no rest for the weary. The Vols are just days away from the Third Saturday in October and Josh Heupel will get his first taste of one of the best historical rivalries in all of college football.
Yes, it’s been one-sided of late. Alabama has won 14-straight over Tennessee with the last five meetings ending in complete blowouts. But that doesn’t matter to Heupel. That doesn’t matter to the players. And I’m willing to bet it doesn’t matter to you either.
Tennessee and Alabama don’t like each other and the 103rd installment of the series that kicks off Saturday at 7 o’clock eastern won’t be any different.
“We’ve got to get better this week. Huge opponent – a really good football team,” Heupel said of Alabama in his Monday press conference. “It’s a rivalry game and one that our guys and staff will be extremely excited about being ready for and going down to Tuscaloosa and competing against a really good football team.
“It starts with their quarterback. He’s super-efficient and a playmaker as well. He’s got dynamic playmakers around him. Defensively, obviously front-to-back, really good. They’re athletic and have the ability to rush the passer. They can do that with pressure or with their front-four with cover guys on the back end. So, it’s a big test for us but one we are excited about, though.”
Nick Saban’s club sits at 6-1 on the season with their lone loss to SEC West foe Texas A&M in upset fashion two weeks ago in College Station.
It’s stock and reload for first-year offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as the Crimson Tide rank fourth in the nation and second in the conference with 45 points a game, and 12th in the country – third in the SEC – with 482.6 yards a contest. Pete Golding’s defensive unit is second in the league in both total defense (300.4 yards) and rush defense (90.3 yards) while giving up 20 points an outing.
The Vols did receive good news from Heupel on the injury front Monday, as it appears quarterback Hendon Hooker’s injury is not believed to be a long-term issue. His availability, however, is up in the air as the coach deemed Hooker, Tiyon Evans and Cade Mays as day-to-day.
Who is in position to make the road trip this weekend? It’ll be worth monitoring as the week goes on.
As for Alabama, the conversation starts with quarterback Bryce Young – the second Heisman hopeful in as many weeks. The sophomore has already amassed over 2,000 yards though the air with 24 touchdowns and three interceptions on the season. Those stats rank second and first, respectfully, in the conference.
The first-year starter, Young, is completing passes at a 69 percent clip.
With Najee Harris in Pittsburgh with the Steelers, Brian Robinson Jr. has taken over the lead-back role in this offense. The redshirt senior has scored eight times on the ground and rushed for 599 yards on 116 attempts. Robinson averages 99 rushing yards a game and 5.2 yards a carry. He’s also hauled in two passes for touchdowns on the year.
“I’ve seen him on film and he’s obviously a good back in our league,” senior defensive tackle Matthew Butler said of Robinson. “We do pride ourselves on trying to stop opposing team’s running backs. We are going to treat it the same.
“We can’t treat it any differently. It’s not really about doing anything special or anything extraordinary It’s just doing the ordinary things at a very, very high level consistently over and over again. Not once in the fourth, once in the third, second or first quarter – but over and over again all throughout the game. And then minimizing your mistakes. That’s the main thing with any running back in any offense.”
Sophomores Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams and Trey Sanders have combined for seven touchdowns out of the backfield in reserve playing time with Williams often being used as the pass-catching back.
John Metchie returns for his junior season and leads the Tide with 480 yards on 41 receptions with three touchdowns. Jameson Williams boasts six touchdowns on the year as the deep-threat option, averaging 20 yards a catch. Slade Bolden, JoJo Earle, Treshon Holden and Javen Baker are also used in the aerial attack.
Alabama has two good tight end options in Cameron Latu and Jahleel Billingsley. Both have just 10 receptions on the season, but the former has found the end zone on half of them. The junior, Billingsley, has totaled two touchdowns in seven games.
Saban is a defensive coach and that hasn’t changed in 2021 with the calling card being to stop the run. In last week’s win over Mississippi State, Alabama forced the Bulldogs into the negatives on the ground as they finished with -1 on the day. Of course, seven sacks played a role in that.
“They show the ability to defeat blocks, both first and second level. The linebackers are athletic and are able to tackle well in space,” Heupel said of Alabama’s defense. “The safeties do the same thing. They do it from different coverages, whether it’s from a single-high or two-high structure.
“You’ve got to do a real good job on your double teams when you have them. You’ve got to do a great job of engaging your man. Getting to the second level is important too.”
Redshirt senior Phidarian Mathis and Byron Young are the two key pieces to the front-line as the duo has combined for 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. Will Anderson is their best pass-rusher with 7 sacks and 15 TFLs off the edge while veteran Christian Harris sits in the middle at linebacker with 36 tackles.
Former Tennessee linebacker Henry To’o To’o, who entered the transfer portal last winter and eventually found a home in Tuscaloosa, leads the club with 54 tackles from the MIKE position.
“I’m excited to go up against him,” Vols offensive lineman Jerome Carvin said with a grin Monday afternoon. “He was a good teammate when he was here, but now he’s on the other side. He’s our enemy now and we’re going to try and get after him.”
It’s a veteran secondary for Alabama this season as safeties Jordan Battle and Demarcco Hellams each have two interceptions. Cornerbacks Josh Jobe and Jalyn Armour-Davis each have a pick as well, as does STAR player Malachi Moore. Daniel Wright and Brian Branch also see time in the secondary.
Overall, Alabama registers 12 takeaways on the season with 19 sacks and 48 tackles for loss.
“It’s all about answering the challenge. That’s what we come here to do. It’s the SEC, that’s what we came here for as you play tough opponents,” Carvin concluded. “These next guys are ranked opponents and they’re very good. So, it’s all about answering - it’s all about competing.
“It’s all about just playing together, being mentally focused, playing hard together and just having each other’s back. Our mentality it still the same. We want to win these ball games and that’s what we’re going to do. We’ve got to go in really mentally focused and locked in.”
VIDEO: Monday 2-Minute Drill
STORY: Four Downs with Josh Heupel